By Kathy Brown.
On Jan. 18, 2020, Lori Maggi was presented with the Haddam Lion’s Club’s Humanitarian Award for 2019 at a ceremony held at St. Clements. “The award is given annually throughout our Lion’s district and each club has the opportunity to nominate someone,” explained Mark Glazier, who is in the Haddam Lion’s Club. “The only criteria are that you are not a member of the Lion’s Club and that you work to make your community a better place,” said Mark.
“Lori lives her life with a big heart and an eye toward the betterment of our community,” said Mark. “Lori, in our opinions, is the definition of a humanitarian. We felt this was the person who deserved to be recognized. Whether working toward bringing the Tylerville community closer through events such as the tree lighting, or on a more personal level, taking younger people under her wing to help through whatever troubles they may be facing, [Lori] works hard to make her community better and helps others without seeking any recognition for all of her efforts.”
When asked what she did to deserve the award, Lori said, “I was surprised when they asked me to accept the nomination, and felt I didn’t deserve it. I am humbled but believe they are the true humanitarians.”
When pressed farther, I found that she has done a lot in the community, from public things like refereeing Girls and Boys soccer, serving on Haddam’s Economic Development Commission, teaching CCD for a few years at St. Peter’s Church in Higganum, to private things like taking in homeless children. She has supported the Lion’s Club, which her husband, Larry Maggi belongs to, by cooking meals for them, and helping work on events behind the scenes.
“When Larry and I were first married and lived in Hartford, the young kids would come to our apartment building and we would spend time with them,” said Lori. “Larry would help them repair their bicycles. One day, one of the children came to me and told me that one young girl, around 7, couldn’t go home and that her mother threw her out of the house. I talked to the child, asking many questions. She told me her mother ‘takes medicine up her nose.’ I called the police, who went over to check it out. The mother was clearly beaten up and would not admit to abuse or let the officers into her house. She told them she didn’t want the child. The police asked her to pack a bag for the child. The mother grabbed several pieces of undergarments and that’s it; threw it in a bag and gave it to the cops. The girl had no other family to go to. DCF agreed to let Larry and I keep her until they could find an appropriate foster family for her. I’ll never forget the expression on her face when she woke up in the morning before school and had pancakes waiting for her. You’d think we took her to Disney!”
Lori said that in Haddam years later, on two different occasions, they took in homeless local children who were living in the woods and in friend’s basements, and in trouble with the law. “Larry and I took them in, clothed, fed and housed them, hired lawyers, got them to turn themselves in, and confront their legal trouble. We gave them jobs at our store, and taught them a trade.”
“Lori Maggi is a generous and kind person,” said Don Roche, Haddam Lion’s Club President. “Consistently giving of her time and energy for the good of others and the community. It is an honor to have her support for our cause.”
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